Buzz in the Press

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Most bottled iced teas are a jip – nothing but overly sweet H2O with just a faint memory of tea. Well, this bottled tea contender will leave you humming Yum Yum Gimme Some!

Guayaki have managed to turn out several very flavorful, bright with promise bottled Yerba Mate teas such as Pure Heart, Pure Passion and Pure Mind. Though most are sweetened with evaporated cane juice, they don’t taste ridiculously sweet like most. They do also offer a very good unsweetened version if you are trying to cut back on the sweet stuff.

For those new to Yerba Mate, it comes from the leaves of the South American holly shrub Ilex paraguariensis. On its own it has a stout flavor that may remind you of green tea but with even more grassy undertones. However, its flavor is subdued in these products.

As a bonus, all the hip ingredients like mate, rose hips, manioc root starch, acerola fruit and Himalayan crystal salt are organic.

Well Fed Man’s suggestion? Pop the top, close your eyes, tilt your head up to the heavens, and guzzle.

Guayaki is involved in lots of environmental do-goodery. To learn about their socially responsible and eco-friendly business practices click here

Body Benefits

Traditionally used as a digestive aid, Yerba Mate is awash in vitamins, minerals and active antioxidant phytochemicals such as chlorogenic acid not found in other teas. Hence it being coined the “liquid vegetable” that in animal studies has been reported to slow tumor growth.

Responsible for mate’s bitterness, heart-healthy saponin compounds in this national drink of Argentina are thought to help reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and inflammation. While a 2009 British Journal of Nutrition study suggests mate’s phytochemicals can squelch oxidative damage to organs such as the liver.

On each bottle label it is suggested that Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity is through the roof meaning that it could help soak up those pesky free radicals.

Each bottle contains about 70mg of naturally occurring caffeine, so if you need a little jolt this should do it. The caffeine leery should take note of this though.

Who Will Dig It

Anyone desperate for a bottled tea that doesn’t leave you wanting
Dwellers of the rainforest

Who Will Toss It

The peeps at Lipton

Find It At

Health and natural food stores. Some larger grocers may also carry it.